Stairs ready to roll dice, if shoulder will let him

Frank Blackman, OF THE EXAMINER STAFF

Published 4:00 am, Sunday, June 7, 1998

OAKLAND - When his baseball career is over, Matt Stairs could always consider a career as a high-stakes gambler in Las Vegas. After all, how many of those guys are prepared to wager millions on one roll?

Stairs has a bum left shoulder, one he injured during a collision at first base in April. He's continued to play through the pain, but exclusively as a designated hitter. That's because he can only lift his left arm until it's parallel to the ground. Any higher and he risks exacerbating the injury and causing enough damage to require surgery.

However, the A's open a three-game series against the Dodgers in Los Angeles, and there's no DH when the games are played in the National League park. Stairs would be restricted to pinch-hitting duties. So he went to manager Art Howe and told him he wants to play left field in the series.

If Stairs hurts himself, there's more at stake than just an operation and a long time on the DL. He's eligible for arbitration at the end of the season, and if he keeps putting up big numbers, could command a multi-million dollar contract for 1999. The A's have had talks with his agent about a long-term, multi-year contract, one that might ultimately be worth around $10 million.

So if he gets hurt in L.A. and is sidelined for a couple of months, his numbers won't look nearly as good in arbitration. It also possible A's management would feel less urgency about signing him to a multi-year deal to avoid arbitration.

"Yeah, that could happen," Stairs said Saturday before he went 1-for-3, walked and drove in a run in the A's 10-5 victory over Arizona. "But I want to play every day. Sure, I'd like to sign a long-term deal. But I don't want people to think I'm sitting on my average, or that I'm worried about protecting myself because of that long-term deal."

GAME NOTES: Scott Spiezio extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a fifth inning single. That's both a personal and A's season high. The second baseman is hitting .368 (21 for 57) during the streak.

Starter Mike Oquist had a ball hit back up the middle slam off his right instep in the seventh inning. He said after the game the foot was sore, but with rest expects to be ready for his next start.

Ben Grieve, fighting a 5-for-20 slump this month, broke out of it with three hits. His average is back up to .309.

Andy Benes was perfect early, retiring the first 11 batters he faced. But the Diamondbacks starter was headed to the clubhouse with one out in the fifth, his shortest outing of the season.

Kurt Abbott, replacing Kevin Mitchell in left, ended an 0-for-8 streak with a solo home run in the eighth.&lt;